Unexpected loss of snake.brings new ?

[frostysBP]

As the title says I lost my 2011 male pewter about 2 weeks ago. He was alive and doing good over the weekend. Do my morning check and boom he's upside down in his tub... took him to the vet and all test came back as his liver shut down......... now he did breed 3 of my famales this year do I need to worry about any of his offspring.? Thanks for any input.

[SnakeBalls]

Interesting, another member lost their snake recently from a fattly liver. What were your feeding habbits?

[frostysBP]

Weekly on small rats. He was 1300 g at start of breeding in November and was 1224g on date of death after a 3 month fast

[Reinz]

FrostyBP, so sorry for your loss.


I feed my 12 year old a med or large rat, whatever I can get, once a month.

Every now and then she asks for more and I will give a second medium.

She is not skinny and obviously not obese.

The way I look at it, she is not growing, and she is a couch potato. She is not as active as the young ones.

Just as in humans; my gosh when I was a young athlete, my daily intake was outrageous! As I got older I had to learn not eat as much even though I still had the athlete's appetite. Now, I eat a fraction of what I used too and weigh 20 lbs more, but I'm not as active.

I believe too many owners are so habitually used to the weekly feeding attitude of "let's get Junior growing!" And they just keep on doing it when the snake peaks out growth wise.
Yeah maybe they are not getting "obese", but the liver has to work overtime metabolizing all the fats that comes it's way.

Think about it, my 12 yr old normal fasts 4-6 months per year. So she is only getting 6,8,9, rats a year and has never been to the vet. I'm not bragging, just
saying that adults don't need the same rate of intake as the youngsters.(sans gravid females)

Something to think about.

.

[John1982]

I doubt a small rat once a week for a 1300g ball python would cause fatty liver in itself. They're still growing pretty steadily at that size, except during breeding and fasting periods of course.

I'd personally attach a note to any of his offspring that I put on the market so prospective buyers could make a fully informed decision. You're just asking for bad press otherwise if you sell a bunch of animals and this ends up being a genetic issue.

Maybe contact the person who produced him and ask if they've had similar problems from that particular line? What kind of feeding routine were you following while growing him out?

Whatever the cause, sorry for your loss.

[frostysBP]

He was fed every 5 days on appropriate sized meals. I contacted the breeder who I got him from and mom and dad are both alive and still producing babies. And she hasent heard of anything about any siblings... I valled the vet agian and she haseny stated that she is somewhat confadent that it id not genitic... she wraped it up like cancer in human's.. :cens0r::cens0r::cens0r::cens0r: happens.... glad its not a contagious thing wiping out my collection.. and hopefully he is the father of one clutch.

[Reinz]

Frosty, I just really looked at your avatar.

That is one Cool cat!

Most cats would have freaked out , or a have been a least on their feet watching!

[frostysBP]

Unless there is food involved he dosent do much. And he runs away from mice and rats.

[Reinz]

Unless there is food involved he dosent do much. And he runs away from mice and rats.

That's funny

[Viol8r]

Unless there is food involved he dosent do much. And he runs away from mice and rats.

That is pretty funny. Sorry about your loss Frosty...